Lufkin Industries Inc. (USA; website) announced it has acquired Rotating Machinery Technology Inc. (USA; website).

Founded in 1986 and located in Wellsville, New York, Rotating Machinery manufactures custom-engineered tilting pad bearings, sleeve bearings, thrust bearings, squeeze film dampers, and related components for high-speed turbomachinery. The company also repairs and upgrades cryogenic expander units, compressors, and related systems for air, gas and petrochemical separation, both on-site and at its Wellsville plant.

Founded in 1902 originally to repair equipment for sawmills and steam locomotives, Lufkin now manufactures and services oilfield equipment, support equipment and services, and geared power transmission equipment. The company's Oilfield Division range includes pumping units and related services, oilfield process automation equipment and services through Lufkin Automation, and a large (300 tons per day) Foundry division, in operation since 1902.

Lufkin's Power Transmission Division will absorb Rotating Machinery, which has been a key Lufkin supplier for many years. Power Transmission manufactures and repairs massive gears and geared power transmission units used in large industrial applications.

In all, Lufkin has corporate and affiliate locations across North, Central and South America; Western Europe; and Asia.

Lufkin President, John ("Jay") Glick, said: "We believe the acquisition of RMT will be a strong strategic fit with our Power Transmission division, and we look forward to working with their highly respected and experienced management team. This acquisition is consistent with our long-term growth strategy of integrating strategic assets to leverage our position of industry leadership."

RMT's founder, Dr. John Nicholas, will remain on board as General Manager of the company. Dr. Nicholas is well known in the bearing industry not only as RMT's founder but also for his expertise in tilting pad bearing design and manufacture and rotor dynamics analysis. Dr. Nicholas' expertise, and that of RMT, particularly in rotor dynamics, will have significant crossover applications in Lufkin's 5251R9N7 objective of moving more aggressively into wind energy power transmission equipment.

Rotordynamics is the study of rotors, supported by bearings and turning on an axis, and the effects on them from internal, external, and environmental forces. For more information, see the Wikipedia entry, and on RMT's website here.

Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.